The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-10-08

as a little figure sailed into the sitting-room,
made him a sweeping courtesy and went to
the piano.
Was that the little woman who had worn
prints and sunbOnnets SO long? The fair
hair was fashionably dressed, and bands of
blue velvet looped the golden curls. A dress
of blue silk, with softest lace trimmings, and
ornaments of pearl, had certainly made
fine lady of Lima. The piano was yielding
its most bewitching tones to the skilled little
fingers, and Johns bewilderment was CON-
plete when a voice of exquisite sweetness,
though not powerful, began to sing.
Only one song full of trills and quavers;
and then Lima rushed from the piano into
Johns arms.
John, darling" she said, ''hold me fast
Dom let me slip from you!''
"Oh Lima" he groaned 81 was not fit to
marry such dainty bird But loved you,
little one."
"And loved you, John, rough old John
Let me sing again. am very happy to-day,
my husband"
But no wonderful trills filed the room
now. In a clear, pure voice, full of express
Lima sang:
II know that my Redeemer liyeth."
Every word fell like hot tears on poor
Johns heart, until, as the last chord trem-
bled upon the air, Lima turned to him,
stretching out her arms;
Take me in your arms, Johnl.'
He tookiher tenderly to the room she had
quilted so gaily, and she replaced her inery
by white wrapper, whose lace trimmings
looked like fairy work to his unaccustomed
eyes.
Are you tired, love?" he asked, with
great spasm Of terror at his heart, as he
| looked at the white, wasted face.
Eyes, very, very tired, but happy, Johnv
| and with little sigh of entire content, Line
| nestled down against the warm heart whose
every throb she knew was all her own. The
white lids fell softly over the violet eyes,
and she slept peacefully as a child.
Softly, as she rested, the pink flush gath
cred on her fair cheek, and smile crept
ever her lips, while John, bending over her,
lifted his heart in earnest prayer for the life
that had made his own so bright
| Mrs. Reynolds was to experience her share
of happiness during her holiday. 1t began
| by the apparition of John the second day in
a suit of handsome clothes that well became
his manly figure. There was no foppery.
but he looked gentleman, though he made
more than one grimace before he got, as he
said, well shaken iuto his store Clothes"
Can describe that week? What was new
to John was old, familiar ground to Lima.
Central Park was not easily exhausted, and
the little guide grew stronger and roster
dow in nhpS I'll
provided plenty of excitement, but guarded
against fatigue.
1t was early in the afternoon Of sunny
day. when the train drew up at the Scotfeld
station, and John handed his wondering
wife into a neat little one-horse carriage
waiting for them.
"a new purchase, dear!'' he explained.
1--WE are to take drive every afternoon
| DIR. Greyson prescribes it,"
The house was where it always had been,
but Lima rubbed her eyes and wondered if
she had been suddenly carried into fairy
land
The dull little sitting-room had been pa
| pered, carpeted, curtained and transformed
into coy dining-room. The stiff parlor
was very bower of beauty, with fine
piano, the daintiest of furniture, soft muslin
curtains, and carpet covered with bouquets
of exquisite flowers; the bedrooms were
carpeted brightly, and rejoiced in cottage
sets; and in the kitchen the most good-na-
tured of stout German girls fairly shed tears
when addressed in her own language.
but JOHN" she cried, ''the Stanley
farm?"
rs sold, dear. You were right; we will
make this house SO lovely the Stanley farm
will never cost me sigh, DIR. Greyson and
his wife took all the tronble here, and have
hired two new hands, so as to have more
leisure"
"But, john" the little wife said earnestly.
Il do not want you to think that / am fine
lady, doll to wear fine clothes and live in
idleness. want to be truly helpmate to
| you"
$50 you will be, Lima. God meant no one
to be drone in this busy hive Of the world.
You are not strong, but you will find plenty
to keep you busy in experimenting indoor
arrangements and directing Gretchen. And
in our drives, love, we will see if we cannot
find some poorer than ourselves to comfort
and aid. That will be my thank-offering for
your life, my little wife,
The neighbors stared and wondered.
Comments upon Johns folly and IMPROVE
dence fell from many lips, and old men, I
shaking their heads, prophesied ruin for the
Reynolds farm.
But John was as astonished as any of them,
when. after few years, he found the farm
yielding him larger income than ever be-
fore.
Il do believe, Lima" he said one day to
matronly little woman who was dressing a
Growing baby, "that your flower garden last
year was worth thousand dollars to me-"
"Johni'
zone look after another crept into the
house, and the time / thought would be
wasted, taken from farm work, was spent in
reading Now look at the labor-saving ma
chimes have bought! See the new stock!
My orchard is going to be the best in the
country. tool"
"And my poultry-yard, Johnl 1t was the
paper and magazines that first gave me the
idea of a model poultry-yard. What fun we
had, John, getting it startedv'
''Yes, indeed. That New York trip was
the best investment l ever made, Lima. |
saw so many things there that recognize as
old friends when meet them again In print
the threshing machine, the rotary harrow,
the improved plows."
"And," said Mrs. Reynolds, mischievously,
"the Milton watch, the sewing machine the
corals for Johnnier
"Come, are you ready for your driver"
"As soon as put on my hat and get the
basket of things for Mr.. Goodwin
aTt haofa nna hp o;d l.
day, where you find so much money for
tomfoolery, new-fangled nonsense, and fall
lals for Lima, and lyet give so much in chart
ty. thought you we're crazy to buy the
Stanley farm"
Il was once, but have something better
now than the Stanley farm. / have learned
how to manage my antelope"
"What?"
But to this day John has not explained
that riddle to his puzzled relatives.